Liverpool news and transfers RECAP - Solanke and Clyne to join Bournemouth, reaction to Man City defeat, Reds still title favourites

Sam Carroll and the rest of the team will be with you today from 7am to ensure constant coverage of all things LFC, including news, great photos, nostalgia, live interviews and much, much more.

The ECHO will also provide you with the very latest transfer news as it happens throughout the week, with every rumour and story digested and analysed each day with updates from full-time LFC reporter James Pearce, Ian Doyle and much more.

There will also be all the latest team news before games, plus every one of Jurgen Klopp press conferences covered live and with video.

We want you to get involved too - tell us your thoughts on what's happening at Anfield by tweeting @LivEchoLFC or @ConnorDunn7. Join the debate right now and get involved.

Solanke Fee Agreed

Solanke Latest

Missing Man

The defender - who is currently recovering from injury - had formed a fantastic partnership with Virgil van Dijk before picking up his knock.

“If Gomez was playing, with his pace and recovery, is Sane getting in behind? Would Gomez be beaten like Lovren did on that near post?” Murphy said.

“Lovren has done well to come back from where he was at a year ago and he’s a good second choice.

“But if Gomez was playing would he have suffered the same embarrassment of athleticism?

“Sane is quick, but Lovren was at fault, really.”

How good will it be to have this man back? (Image: John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

13:30Sam Carroll

Full Clyne Story

Nathaniel Clyne has joined Bournemouth on loan until the end of the campaign.

Interestingly, James Pearce has the reasons why Liverpool allowed the full-back to depart.

Hint: one of them is just 16-years-old.

13:08Sam Carroll

Players of the Month

Can’t they both win it?

I can’t choose!

Happily, you can choose for me below.

12:50KEY EVENT

Clyne Joins Bournemouth

12:10Sam Carroll

Klopp Nominated

Seven games.

Seven wins.

Crown your champion.

12:01Sam Carroll

Lovren Verdict

Phil Babb reckons Dejan Lovren was the weak link in Liverpool’s defeat at Manchester City last night.

The Croat was caught out by Sergio Aguero for City’s opener and appeared shaky in the second-half.

“You would probably say the weakest link is Lovren,” Babb said. “He had a sketchy game at best. Some of his distribution was poor, decision making.

“Even towards the end, when Liverpool were pushing forwards and Van Dijk was up, he was playing straight balls into the box - and you would probably say you need to angle them, so there is a better chance for the second ball and the knock down.

“But what do you say about Sergio Aguero? He is genuinely a world-class striker and a great asset for City.”

What did you make of Lovren's performance? (Image: Martin Rickett/PA Wire)

11:47Sam Carroll

Clyne Update

Wales Online have confirmed Nathaniel Clyne remains one of Neil Warnock’s top January targets at Cardiff.

Warnock is keen to add a right-back to his squad with the Liverpool man the ideal fit to play wing-back in a five-man defence.

Wales Online believe it could be a two-horse race between Cardiff and Bournemouth for the 27-year-old’s signature.

Wanted (Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

11:39Sam Carroll

Van Dijk Talks

Virgil van Dijk says Liverpool are focused on recovering after a slip against Manchester City.

The Reds lost out 2-1 to Manchester City last night and the defender admitted the Reds were ‘very disappointed.’

“We knew it was going to be a very tough season and there will be ups and downs and Thursday was obviously a down,” he said.

“You just have to keep going and bounce back and that is something we are definitely going to do.

“It was an intense game for both teams. They won and we are very disappointed but we will focus on recovering and making sure we are ready for the next game.

“We are disappointed we lost but there is no reason for panic. For us it was just another important Premier League game. Unfortunately we lost and couldn’t get a result.

“Fair play to City and congratulations to them but we just have to keep going.”

11:03

Lallana Future

Lallana, 30, has played just 300 minutes of first-team football this term and was linked with a switch to Fenerbahce yesterday.

Adam’s contract expires in 2020 and Liverpool haven’t ruled out a short-term move for this winter according to the Mirror.

10:21Sam Carroll

Smith's Defence

Callum Smith could be priced out of a dream first world title defence at Anfield claims his trainer Joe Gallagher.

Dave Prentice has the latest below.

09:51Sam Carroll

Arsenal Join Werner Race

The Mirror claim Arsenal have joined the race for RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner.

The striker has been handed an ultimatum by the German outfit after failing to pen a new deal: sign or be sold.

Liverpool have also been linked with a move for the 22-year-old, who has scored 11 goals in 17 games for the Bundesliga side.

A wanted man? (Image: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

09:44Sam Carroll

Fabinho Conundrum

There’s a conundrum afoot at Liverpool and it involves Fabinho.

But how does Jurgen Klopp solve it?

Ian Doyle takes a look at the manager’s options below.

09:09Sam Carroll

Lallana Latest

Liverpool haven’t ruled out a short-term move for Adam Lallana this winter according to the Mirror.

The midfielder has been sparingly by Jurgen Klopp this term after returning from a series of injuries.

Lallana, 30, has played just 300 minutes of first-team football this term and was linked with a switch to Fenerbahce yesterday.

Adam’s contract expires in 2020.

What does the future hold for Adam Lallana? (Image: John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

08:53Sam Carroll

No Time Virgil

Virgil van Dijk had no time for Vincent Kompany’s pleasantries last night.

Well in, Virg!

08:38Sam Carroll

Balotelli Return

Mario Balotelli could be set for an unexpected return to the Premier League with Rafael Benitez and Newcastle United.

The moody Italian has reportedly been banished from the Nice training ground with manager Patrick Vieira saying: “I have given Mario a few extra days off to think about his future and what he wants to do.

“He’s under contract here and everything is possible, if we can come to a common agreement who knows.

“When it comes to Mario, I want to answer back, or just slam him up against the wall or leave him hanging by his collar on the coat rack, but I can’t, as I’m no longer a player.

“I don’t want to say something I’ll regret. I am trying to be constructive in my comments to him.”

Benitez, however, is keen to bring him back to England according to the Mirror.

This didn't work out very well, did it?

08:24Sam Carroll

Robertson Praise

Despite Liverpool falling to defeat at Manchester City last night, Andy Robertson’s performance came in for considerable praise from supporters.

The lad is quite good, isn’t he?

Not bad at £8m.

Here’s the pick of the best tweets online.

08:01Sam Carroll

Wijnaldum Speaks

Gini Wijnaldum has asserted Liverpool must hold their nerve following defeat at Manchester City yesterday.

The Reds fell behind to Sergio Aguero’s opener before Roberto Firmino levelled during the second-half. Leroy Sane, however, handed the Citizens all three points just minutes later.

“Sometimes you have games where you score a lot and score with every chance that you get – and sometimes you don’t,” Gini said afterwards. “What we have to do now is to keep our confidence and win the next game.

“What we are trying to do is not look at the table – where we are standing and how much we are clear – because we can only control our own performance and we can’t control the performance of [others] and their results.

“We are only concentrating on our own thing; try to win our games, try to give everything and then we will look at the end of the season where we stand.

“We weren’t busy looking at the table before and we are not going to do it this time.”

Unlucky, Gini! (Image: John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

07:47Sam Carroll

Reds Still Favourites

Feeling glum about last night?

It’s natural - but there’s still plenty of reason to be optimistic.

Liverpool remain four points clear of Manchester City in the Premier League title race - and the bookies still believe the Reds are favourites to lift the trophy in May.

The Reds were 4/7 to win the league going into last night’s showdown at the Etihad and have fallen slightly to 4/5 according to Betway.

Pep Guardiola’s City have been cut from 13/8 to 6/5 while Spurs are 16/1 to win the title.

Premier League winner outright

Liverpool - 4/5 from 4/7

Man City - 6/5 from 13/8

Spurs -16/1 from 28/1

Chelsea - 100/1

Man United - 250/1

Arsenal - 400/1

You can still do it Jurgen!

07:34Sam Carroll

Reds Lose

I don’t need to tell you this.

Liverpool lost 2-1 at Manchester City last night as the Citizens went within four points of the Reds at the Premier League’s summit.

Our men James Pearce and Ian Doyle were present at the Etihad to cast their expert eye over the game while Paul Gorst, Joe Rimmer and Connor Dunn kept things ticking over at ECHO Towers.

If you went straight to bed after the defeat last night, start your Friday the right way by catching up on all the brilliant content created by the aforementioned authors below.

07:25Sam Carroll

TGIF!

Salutations!

It’s the morning after the night before - but there is no reason to feel downhearted.

The Reds remain four points clear at the Premier League in a position that you all would have taken at the start of the campaign.

I’m here to cheer you up with another day of Liverpool news, views, opinion and transfer tittle-tattle this morning as we segue cheerfully into the weekend.